


Up On Heaven's Boulevard

by maybegracie



Series: Stars and Stripes [1]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Bucky writes horoscopes, F/M, M/M, Steve is Steve, dont read this, how do you tag ?, idk im a mess, just kidding pls do, ok so apparently bucky's mom is named winifred but oh well in this her name is galina
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-02
Updated: 2015-08-02
Packaged: 2018-04-12 12:46:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,012
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4479740
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/maybegracie/pseuds/maybegracie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve wasn’t big on astrology. He usually chalked it all up to crazy hippie types who wanted to believe there was some sort of order in the world. He didn’t help people or save lives for good karma. He did it because he cared.<br/>And he had no reason to believe that there was any truth behind the fortunes. None of them had been accurate.<br/>Until nobullshitastrology.com.</p><p>--</p><p>In which Steve is still Captain America, but Bucky writes horoscopes and woos Steve through email.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Up On Heaven's Boulevard

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!  
> jeantamaki.tumblr.com
> 
> Title is from Stars by Grace Potter: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54DMWdzROH0

Cancer: Today you will do something no one ever expected from you. There may be some negative backlash, but in the end, it’ll be worth it. (5-10)

 

Steve wasn’t big on astrology. He usually chalked it all up to crazy hippie types who wanted to believe there was some sort of order in the world. He didn’t help people or save lives for good karma. He did it because he cared.

And he had no reason to believe that there was any truth behind the fortunes. None of them had been accurate.

Until nobullshitastrology.com.

It was ten months after he woke up when people started gossiping.

They photoshopped pictures so that Natasha and him were holding hands, or even kissing. People even asked Steve if he and Pepper were an item. Tony in particular found this to be amusing.

Steve was never really that bothered by the accusations, but he also was sick of telling people that no, he wasn’t looking for a girlfriend.

And so, on May 10, he had a press conference.

When he walked out, hundreds of cameras went off. The groups of teenage girls who had shoved their way to the front were shrieking.  Steve smiled and waved dutifully, before walking up to the mic.

“Recently,” Steve said with the practiced ease that comes with years of speaking to crowds. “The general public has found themselves fascinated with my personal, or more specifically, my romantic private life.”

The crowd fell silent, hanging on Captain America, the great hero’s every word.

“However, in doing so, you have violated the privacy of myself and my friends. I am not, nor have I ever been in a relationship with Natasha Romanoff. I am not, not have I ever been in a relationship with Pepper Potts. They are both colleagues whom I regard with the highest respect and admiration. That being said, I want to share something. I am not a very public person. I feel that my private and professional life should, to some extent, remain separate. But as a public figure, it is part of my job to not trick or convince you that I am something I am not. So I am here today to tell you that I identify as a homosexual male.”

There was, for a moment, complete and utter stillness, before the room erupted with chatter.

“I am not currently in a relationship,” Steve said, not even bothering to project so the reporters could hear him. “If you have any questions about me, or the work that I do, please forward them to Tony Stark. That’s S-T-A-R-K. Thank you.”

 

~

 

That night, when he was curled up on his couch, reading through articles about his press conference, Tony sent him an email with a link.

 **TONY** : f u for that stuny. i have 300 emails already. also saw this.

The link was to a website called nobullshitastrology.com.

Steve scoffed.

 **STEVE** : pls tell me u dont believe in astrology now

 **TONY** : read it

So Steve clicked the link, unconfident that it would be anything at all remarkable.

Cancer: Today you will do something no one ever expected from you. There may be some negative backlash, but in the end, it’ll be worth it. (5-10)

Steve frowned. He checked the date again, but he had been right; it was the tenth of May.

He quickly scanned the site.

On the day he woke up, his horoscope read:

Caner: Today, you will find yourself in an entirely new situation. It may seem scary, but good things will come.

The line between Steve’s brows deepened.

 **STEVE** : wth

 **TONY** : ikr

 

~

 

Bucky, along with the rest of America, tuned into Captain America’s press conference. If he were honest, he would say he was impressed.

Bucky wasn’t honest.

“It’s probably just a publicity stunt, Becks, I wouldn’t get too excited.”

Becky, who likely had posters of Captain America hanging above her bed, sighed. “I’m still pissed that you didn’t go and take pictures.”

“Becky,” Bucky groaned. “How many times do I have to tell you that I am _not_ going to run around NYC for you? I came here to study, not stalk superheroes.”

“You know, my horoscope said I was going to argue with a family member today,” Becky teased.

Bucky huffed. “Well mine for tomorrow says I’m gonna murder a close relative.”

His little sister laughed. “You can try, stumpy, but I can run. Fast.”

“Stay out of trouble,” he smiled.

“I’m not making any promises that I can’t keep.”

After saying goodbye, and hanging up, Bucky settled in to think up the next day’s horoscopes.

The whole nobullshitastrology.com thing had begun as a joke. Dum Dum had been complaining about how inaccurate his horoscopes were, (no one questioned why he needed to know his horoscope. It was Dum Dum) and Bucky had offered to try and predict them.

Since Bucky was small, he’d always been great at guessing games. He had been banned from his middle school competition of guessing how many gumballs were in a jar after he won 3 years in a row.

Nonetheless, Bucky’s friends didn’t expect much from his venture into astrology.

So they were as shocked as he as when he practically predicted Dum Dum’s parking ticket.

For the next few weeks, they tested him, forcing him to come up with predictions for all the Leos, and then all the Capricorns. And every time, they were remarkably accurate.

“Dude, maybe you’re like a superhero,” Gabe said. “You should join the Avengers!”

Bucky laughed. “Please. What could they need a magical astrologer for?”

“I don’t know. Maybe Iron Man likes to know his horoscope.”

It was over five months later when Bucky made nobullshitastrology. He had to pay a fuckton of dough for the domain name, but once people started finding the site, things changed.

The site was like an overnight sensation. Within weeks of making it, he had hundreds of emails raving about how right he was. But he also had emails from companies. Companies who wanted ads on _his_ website. And they were willing to pay to get them there.

Bucky, who had no idea that you could even _make_ money on the internet without showing your junk, was beyond thrilled when that first paycheck made its way into his bank account.

After only three months running the website, Bucky was making enough money online to quit his job at a store in the mall, and rent out a tiny apartment.

He still didn’t quite understand all the fuss. He wasn’t doing anything extraordinary. He was just guessing.

Bucky pulled up his email and began sifting through the spam and messages about him and his “involvement” with the illuminati.

He paused when he was one from “S. Rogers.”

It read:

                TO: [admin@nobullshitastrology.com](mailto:admin@nobullshitastrology.com)  
                FROM: [s.rogers@gmail.com](mailto:s.rogers@gmail.com)  
                SUBJ: Need to Talk to You ASAP

                Dear Mr. Owner,

                I am dumbfounded by your website. Please contact me.

                                                                                S. Rogers

 

Bucky frowned. Usually, fans gave him their guessed on how he does it, or tell him stories about how his horoscopes were right. Rogers didn’t seem to have an opinion, or a theory. Or even an ulterior motive. In fact, he didn’t seem to have or be much of anything, given how blunt his correspondence was.

Bucky opened up a new message.

 

                TO: [s.rogers@gmail.com](mailto:s.rogers@gmail.com)  
                FROM: [admin@nobullshitastrology.com](mailto:admin@nobullshitastrology.com)  
                SUBJ: re: Ned to Talk to You ASAP

                Dear Mr. Rogers,

                To be quite frank, so am I.

                                                                                                Bucky Barnes

 

~

 

“Yes, but what does it mean?” Steve pled.

“I don’t know, Steve. Maybe this isn’t the guy who does it. Maybe it’s his or her personal assistant, or manager, or something,” Natasha said, waving Steve away as she turned back to her phone.

“But I emailed the admin,” Steve frowned. “That still means administrator, right?”

Natasha rolled her eyes. “Yes, Steve, it still means the same thing. Just email him back.”

He frowned and opened back up his fancy, new-fangled computer.

 

                TO: [admin@nobullshitastrology.com](mailto:admin@nobullshitastrology.com)  
                FROM: [s.rogers@gmail.com](mailto:s.rogers@gmail.com)  
                SUBJ: re: re: Need to Talk to You ASAP

                Dear Mr. Barnes,

                Your recent Cancer horoscopes for the 10th of May was unnervingly correct. Please get                       back to me soon. I am traveling to Antarctica next week.

                                                                                S. Rogers

 

~

 

Bucky wasn’t quite sure what job would require a business trip to Antarctica, but he was curious about how accurate his horoscope had been for this S. Rogers. He messaged back within the hour.

               

                TO: [admin@nobullshitastrology.com](mailto:admin@nobullshitastrology.com)  
                FROM: [s.rogers@gmail.com](mailto:s.rogers@gmail.com)  
                SUBJ: re: re: re: Need to Talk to You ASAP

                Dear Mr. Rogers,

                I’m not sure why I can guess people’s future so well. It’s been a still of mine since I was a                   child.

                I am curious about how my horoscopes reflected your day.

                Also, please call me Bucky

 

Bucky looked up from his computer when he heard a knock at his door.

Glancing at his clock, he got up. It was nine at night. He couldn’t imagine why he would be getting visitors this late at night.

The knocking persisted until Bucky swung open the door to see Dum Dum, Gave, and Jacques all grinning at him with matching evil smiles.

“We,” Dum Dum grinned. “Are going out. And you are not allowed to fight us on this. You haven’t gone out in weeks.”

Bucky grunted. “I went for coffee the other day.”

“Yeah,” Gabe chuckled. “With _me_. And coffee doesn’t count. You can’t get wasted and make bad decisions on coffee.”

So, thirty minutes later, Bucky was walking into Snakebite, the local gay club.

“Don’t know why we came here,” Gabe grumbled. “Bucky is the only gay one.”

“Gabe,” Jacques scolded. “We are here for Bucky, remember?”

Bucky walked away to escape their bickering. He ordered a rum and coke, drumming his fingers on the bar while he waited. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a tall, broad guy watching him. Bucky pushed his long hair off of his forehead.

“There you go,” the bartender said, sliding him his drink. Bucky reached for his wallet. “Oh, no need. That guy eyeing you already covered it.”

Bucky raised an eyebrow and smirked over at the man. He held up his drink and nodded, downing it in one long gulp.

The guy slid from his seat and disappeared into the mass of bodies before reappearing at Bucky’s side.

“I’m John,” he said.

“Bucky.”

“Wanna dance?”

“Sure.”

Bucky was by no means a good dancer, but John didn’t seem to mind as Bucky pulled him onto the floor. He mouthed at Bucky’s neck, pressing them together.

There was a sudden break in the music as a man in a cape and a red, white, and blue thong took the stage.

“In honor or Captain America’s recent announcement, all drinks are fifty percent off for the rest of the night!”

The crowd erupted in cheers.

Bucky leaned up to whisper into John’s ear. “Wanna split?”

John’s gaze darkened as he nodded, and they weaved through the bodies to slip out of the club and hail a cab.

While they rode back to his apartment, Bucky let his hands wander under John’s top, pressing half-hearted, lust-clouded kisses on his jaw.

They crashed into Bucky’s apartment,, hips pressed together as Bucky locked the door behind him.

“You cool with bottoming?” Bucky muttered against John’s lips as he undid his belt.

“Yeah,” he moaned back. “God you’re hot.”

“Thanks.”

Bucky pulled his shirt over his head as he led John to his bedroom.

 

~

 

Bucky woke up sweating, with John sprawled on top of him. If memory served, he had been above average in bed, despite his unfortunate knack for hogging sheets.

Bucky pulled his laptop from its spot under his bed and opened up his website. It was ten, and he was late on uploading that day’s horoscopes.

After typing up some short, half-assed horoscopes, he pulled up his email.

Bucky replied to his mom’s questions about his relationship status, ignoring John snoring beside him.

Then he opened up his work email, grinning when he was one from Rogers.

 

                TO: [admin@nobullshitastrology.com](mailto:admin@nobullshitastrology.com)  
                FROM: [s.rogers@gmail.com](mailto:s.rogers@gmail.com)  
                SUBJ: re: re: re: re: Need to Talk to You ASAP

                Bucky,

                I actually came out as a gay man on May 10th. You were remarkably correct in people’s                       reactions. My friends were very supportive. A lot of people thought I was just saying I was                   homosexual for attention, though, which was quite disappointing. But also very expected.                   People tend to have a very specific idea of what I should be and do, and having                                   relationships with men is apparently not what they had in mind.

                                                                                S. Rogers

                P.S. You may call me Steve, if you like.

 

Bucky smirked.

“What are you smiling about?” John asked, rubbing sleep from his face.

“Just a good email.”

“Nice, I love those,” he grinned. “You a fan of morning after blowjobs?”

Bucky smirked and pushed his laptop to the side. “Love ‘em.”

 

~

 

Steve didn’t get a chance to read his email for a reply from Bucky, since two days later, he was in Antarctica, taking down an organization of people experimenting on animals and people in an attempt to create some sort of super soldier.

“What kind of soldier would need pig DNA?” Tony sighed, collapsing on the couch. The others laughed.

“Your guess is as good as mine,” Bruce said, sitting down gingerly next to Tony.

“It is good to be home,” Natasha groaned, emerging from the bathroom in sweatpants and a t-shirt. “I hate that damn suit.”

“Here, here,” Tony yelled, and Steve laughed, nodding with understanding. At least his current costume was more breathable than the one he had worn during the war.

“Hey Tony?” he asked from where he was standing in the doorway. “Can I check my email on your computer?”

Tony nodded absent-mindedly, and Steve slipped into his huge office.

“Jarvis? Can you pull up nobullshitastrology.com?”

“Of course, Steve,” the computer replied. Steve still wasn’t clear on how the computer talked and knew his name, but Tony had advised him not to think too hard about it.

Steve scrolled down the page until he saw today’s horoscope for Cancer.

 

Cancer: Today you will finish a project, and will be thrilled to have some time off FINALLY. Also, someone is missing you; take some time to let them know you missed them, too. (5-19)

 

Steve, yet again, was floored by how true the little paragraph was.

“Jarvis, open up gmail.com and log me in,” Steve said, listening with one ear to Tony serenading someone (probably Bruce) with a rendition of My Heart Will Go On.

He scrolled through the spam messages until he was an email from Bucky.

               

                TO: s.rogers@gmail.com  
                FROM: [admin@nobullshitastrology.com](mailto:admin@nobullshitastrology.com)  
                SUBJ: re: re: re: re: Need to Talk to You ASAP

                Steve,

                Congrats on coming out. I remember the first time that I told someone I was gay. It was my                 best friend, Gabe. Turns out that he had known for years. But I was still terrified.

                Kinda cool that you came out on the same day as that Captain America fella, huh?

                                                                                Bucky

 

Just as Steve was about to type out a reply, his inbox dinged with a new email from Bucky.

 

                TO: s.rogers@gmail.com  
                FROM: [admin@nobullshitastrology.com](mailto:admin@nobullshitastrology.com)  
                SUBJ: You OK?

                Steve,

                So I’m guessing you’ve been on that business trip to Antarctica and that’s why you haven’t                 responded.  At least, I hope so. If you’ve just been ignoring me, that would kinda suck,                       since I like talking with you.

                Either way, hope you’re well.

                                                                                Bucky

 

Steve found himself smiling as he shot back a response.

 

                TO: [admin@nobullshitastrology.com](mailto:admin@nobullshitastrology.com)  
                FROM: [s.rogers@gmail.com](mailto:s.rogers@gmail.com)  
                SUBJ: re: re: re: Need to Talk to You ASAP

                Bucky,

                Sorry about not getting back to you. I _was_ in Antarctica. My job requires a lot of travel, and                 I don’t really have a lot of time to email. But boy, am I glad to be back! New York feels like                   Hawaii compared to how cold it is at the South Pole.

                About the Captain, it wasn’t planned to come out when he did. It was a complete                                 coincidence. I don’t really know why everyone is so excited/upset about his sexuality. It’s                   not that big of a deal, in my opinion.

                I’m glad that coming out went well for you. I can’t even imagine coming out to the kids I                     was friends with when I was young. They would have kicked my ass.

                                                                                Steve

                P.S. I like talking to you, too.

                P.P.S. I kinda missed this while I was on my trip.

 

~

 

Bucky did _not_ have a crush this Steve, no matter what his friends said. It was just interesting to talk to someone who was proof that his talent wasn’t all in his head.

At least, that’s what no told them.

He and Steve had been in correspondence for a month now, and Bucky felt like he knew everyone about him.

He had compiled a mental list.

 

  1.        Military background



Steve had been a Captain in the United States army. Bucky had only been a Sergeant. They traded tales of their time in the corps.

  1.        He had no family left



Steve said that when he came back from war, his family had disappeared. He had found out that his sister had passed during childbirth, but he had little to no information about the rest of his relatives.

  1.        He lived in NYC



They both knew that they lived in New York, but they had never talked about meeting up. Bucky was terrified of finally meeting Steve and being let down. He had spent week crafting this mental image of Steve. Bucky didn’t know what he would so if Steve turned out to be 60.

Or worse, 13.

  1.        He lived and worked with his best friends



Bucky didn’t know much about said friends, but he heard many stories of their pranks and shenanigans.

  1.        He was gay



Steve didn’t talk too much about his sexuality, and Bucky was careful not to push him. Steve had been in the closet for most of his life, and he still wasn’t completely comfortable talking about it.

 

Other points on the list included how sweet he was when he comforted Bucky after a hard day, and how oblivious Steve was to Bucky’s thinly-veiled attempts at flirting with him. This was equal parts endearing and infuriating.

 

~

 

               TO: [s.rogers@gmail.com](mailto:s.rogers@gmail.com)  
               FROM: [admin@nobullshitastrology.com](mailto:admin@nobullshitastrology.com)  
               SUBJ: A Bit Silly

                Stevie,

                We’ve been emailing for six weeks now. It seems a bit silly that we don’t call or at least text                 each other. It would be sooooooo much easier.

                Hope it’s not too much for you.

                                                                                Bucky

 

Steve stared at the string of numbers at the bottom of the screen. He supposed it was a good thing that Bucky had done this, as it significantly lowered the chances that Bucky wasn’t really what he’d been saying he was.

“Fuck it,” Steve said under his breath as he took his phone out of his jeans pocket and typed in the number.

It rang four times before Steve heard a voice say: “Hello. This is Bucky.”

Steve was frozen at the sound of Bucky’s voice.

“Hello? Is anybody there?”

“Yes, hi,” Steve stuttered. “Hi. This is Steve. Steve Rogers. We, um, we email?”

Bucky coughed. “Oh my god, you actually called. Steve, wow. Hi. Wow. How are you?”

“I’m good,” Steve exhaled. “A little freaked out, but mainly good.”

“Me too,” Bucky laughed. “You, uh, you sound really good, Steve.”

Steve blushed at the way that Bucky said his name.

“You do, too.”

There was a second of silence before they both started laughing.

“Well,” Steve said breathlessly. “I have to go. But I’ll text you later, yeah?”

“Yeah,” Bucky whispered back. “Text me.”

 

~

 

Bucky saved Steve’s number under a contact that said “stevie!” followed by a ludicrous amount of emojis.

 

~

 

Steve saved Bucky’s number under a contact that said “bucky bear” followed by four blue hearts.

 

~

 

“How’s lover boy?” Tony asked one morning while he watched Sam and Steve lift weights.

“I don’t know what you mean,” Steve huffed, pursing his lips.

Sam laughed. “You know, Bucky Bear.”

Steve dropped the weight and stared at the other two incredulously. “Have you seen spying on me?”

“Nonsense,” Tony scoffed. “I have Jarvis copy all of your texts.”

“This is why I do not own a cellular telephone,” Thor said from where he was pummeling a punching bag. “Earthly technology should not be trusted.”

“I resent that statement, pal,” Tony said as he sipped his gross, sugary coffee. Steve had no clue why Tony loved them. “But back to Bucky.”

“There isn’t much to tell, really,” Steve shrugged. “He runs that horoscope website that you sent me. He’s a twenty-eight year old veteran, and he lives in Brooklyn.”

Tony raised a manicured brow.

“If your man-friend lives nearby,” Thor said quizzically. “Then why don’t you meet?”

“Well,” Steve coughed. “He doesn’t exactly know about the whole Captain America thing…”

“WHUMP! There it is,” Sam sang.

“You mean,” Tony smirked. “He doesn’t know about your massive shoulders, and he still wastes his time talking to you?” Steve shrugged bashfully. “Keep him.”

“But Steve,” Thor said thoughtfully. “You don’t even know what this man looks like.”

Steve blinked. “I guess I don’t. I never thought it was quite important; looks aren’t that big of a deal.”

“Oh Steve,” Tony tutted. “My sweet, stupid Steve. Text him and ask for a picture. Now.”

Steve sighed and shook his head as he got out of phone. He opened up his contacts and hesitated on Bucky’s information before typing out a quick text.

                **STEVE:** hey what do you look like? just wondering

A reply came less than two minutes later; a picture of two men.

                **BUCKY:** im on the left

The man, or Bucky, Steve supposed, had long dark hair tangled around his face. His eyes were a striking blue, and dark scruff dusting his jaw and cheeks.

“Damn,” Tony said, appearing at Steve’s side. “That guy with the hair is pretty. That him?”

Steve nodded slowly, and Tony whistled, snatching the phone to show Sam and Thor, and presumably send the picture to the rest of the Avengers and Pepper.

“He also has long hair,” Thor pronounced. “I like him!”

“Yeah,” Sam said appreciatively. “He’s a good-looking guy.”

Steve mumbled an “I know,” and grabbed the phone back, shoving it in his pocket and going back to the weights.

Later, when he was alone in his apartment, he texted Bucky back.

                **STEVE:** you didn’t tell me you were a model

 

~

 

“Damn,” Dum Dum said. “Bucky, your boy’s got some moves.”

Bucky blushed as he wrestled the phone back from him and read the new message, which prompted his cheeks to burn a violent red. “Shut up.”

“Dude,” Gabe said. “You’ve gotta ask him for one back.”

“Yeah,” Jacques agreed. “What if it’s not Steve, but it’s like some six year old girl in Iowa?”

“First off,” Bucky rolled his eyes. “We’ve talked on the phone. I _know_ he’s not a six year old girl. And he has a New York area code.”

“I read you can buy those online,” Dum Dum widened his eyes meaningfully.

“Fine, I’ll ask.”

 

                **BUCKY:** wanna return the favor? what do you look like?

                **STEVE:** about that…

                **BUCKY:** what? i don’t really care what you look like

                **STEVE:** then why do u want a pic?

                **BUCKY:** idk. put a face to the texts?

                **STEVE:** OK…

                **STEVE:** pls dnt freak

                **BUCKY:** y would I freak?

                **STEVE:** ok here goes

 

When the picture loaded, Bucky had a coughing fit.

“Dude, what’s wrong?” Gabe asked.

“Is he old?” Jacques followed.

“Or ugly?” Dum Dum offered.

Bucky blinked at them. “He’s the fucking Captain America.”

 

~

 

“Do you believe him?” Becky asked after screaming into the phone for twenty minutes.

“I think so,” Bucky said. “He sent me like six selfies. It’s not like he has social media to steal them from.”

“Wow,” she breathed. “I still can’t process the fact that you’re online dating Captain America.”

“Becky,” Bucky scolded. “We aren’t dating.”

“Whatever. I can’t wait to tell everyone!”

“NO!” he screeched. “Please don’t. Not yet. Because then it would get out and Steve would be even more hounded by the paparazzi and they’re already so bad ever since he’s came out and-“

“Oh my god, fine,” Becky interrupted him. “Don’t worry about it. I won’t say anything.”

“Thanks Becks. You’re the best.”

“I know,” she said, smirk evident in her voice. “Call mom this weekend, she misses you.”

 

~

 

Cancer: Today you will be faced with a big decision about a relationship in your life. Choose carefully. (6-17)

 

                **STEVE:** lets meet.

 

That was the text Steve had sent the day before. Bucky had agreed, and so at 3 PM on June 17th, Steve was sitting in a corner booth of a little café, sunglasses on and a baseball cap pulled down to cover his hair.

He had embarrassingly shown up an hour before they had arranged to meet.

Now, it was 3, the time they had agreed on.

Steve kept his eyes trained on the entrance, looking for the now familiar mane of tangled hair.

When Bucky _did_ walk in, he spotted Steve right away, and made his way over to where he was sitting.

He had a square face, and long dark lashes (which Steve envied, as his were blonde are therefore effectively invisible.)

“Hi Steve,” Bucky said, sliding into the booth with a dark blush on his cheeks.

“Hiya Bucky,” Steve breathed back.

They were silent until Bucky laughed and ran a hand over his face, saying: “You’re even more perfect-looking in real life.”

Steve nodded solemnly. “The serum they gave me also enhanced my physical appearance. No one is exactly sure why.”

Bucky coughed.

“I mean, thank you,” Steve flushed. He chuckled. “I’m not very well-versed in the whole dating thing.”

“Dating?”

“Oh gosh,” Steve backpedaled. “I didn’t even ask if this was a date, I just assumed. You probably want nothing to do with me.”

“Steve,” Bucky said softly. “I’d love to go on a date with you.”

“Oh, cool. Wanna get some ice cream?”

 

~

 

“How was the big meeting?” Jacques asked as Bucky flopped down next to him on his couch.

“He really is America’s sweetheart, you know,” Bucky sighed. “The perfect gentleman.”

“That’s real good, Bucky,” Gabe said from the doorway to the kitchen. “I’m happy for you.”

“He looks even bigger in person than on TV,” Bucky noted wistfully. “Looks like he wouldn’t fit through my front door; that’s how massive his shoulders are.”

“Well yeah,” Gabe said. “He’s a superhero.”

“I _knew_ today would be a good day,” Bucky grinned.

“Well yeah,” Jacques parroted. “You’re a superhero.”

 

~

 

“So this is your pad,” Bucky said as he looked around the massive apartment that Steve lived in inside the Avengers’ Tower.

“Yep,” Steve fiddled with the hem of his shirt.

“It’s homey,” Bucky said sarcastically. Steve giggled. “You know, it’s awfully presumptuous of you to bring me home after only three dates.”

“Oh hush,” Steve said, having grown slightly more accustomed to Bucky’s teasing.  “I didn’t just bring you here to make out like teenagers, although that isn’t off the table.” Steve caught the way Bucky swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing. “I actually had to bring you over so you could meet with my boss and sign some paperwork.”

“Oh,” Bucky pouted. “That doesn’t sound fun.”

“Sorry Buck,” Steve tugged on Bucky’s sleeve. “It’s just a rule with boyfriends and girlfriends. Have to make sure you don’t sell me nudes to a talk show.”

“But Kathy Lee and Hoda would _love_ them,” Bucky whined.

“Steve,” Jarvis’ voice boomed over the intercom. “Please make your way to Coulson’s office”

Bucky frowned. “Who was that?”

“Jarvis,” Steve said, leading Bucky to his elevator. “He’s a living computer.”

“What?”

“It’s better to just accept it and move on,” Steve replied. “That’s what Tony tells me.”

“Accept and forget,” Bucky said to himself as Steve clicked the elevator buttons.

“Accept and forget.”

 

~

 

Phil Coulson was a balding man in a grey suit. He seemed nice enough. He was clearly concerned about Steve’s well-being and his image.

“So, James,” Coulson said, looking at his list of questions on his computer. “What is your relationship with our Steve?”

Bucky paused, but Steve was quick to answer for him.

“He’s my boyfriend.”

Bucky blushed from his ears all the way down to the tips of his toes. “Yeah. Boyfriend.”

Coulson typed something into his computer. “Okay… now James-“

“It’s Bucky,” Bucky interrupted nervously.

“Bucky… what do you do? By means of employment, obviously.”

Bucky chuckled. “I, uh, I run a website.” Coulson blinked at him. “I run… well… it’s a horoscope website. I write horoscopes.”

“Horoscopes?”

“Yeah,” Bucky sighed. He really did hate telling people (especially men) about his job. “Like with astrology signs?”

“He’s really good at it,” Steve jumped to his newly-named boyfriend’s side. “Been in newspapers and everything. He’s never, ever wrong.”

Coulson nodded. “What’s the URL?”

“nobullshitastrology.com,” Bucky coughed.

At this, Coulson laughed. “I like this kid, Steve. He seems good.”

Steve beamed.

“That being said, you need to sign these non-disclosure agreements,” Coulson added, pulling an impossibly high stack of papers from his desk.

Steve and Bucky sighed in unison.

 

~

 

“So you caused quite the stir with your announcement last month, Steve,” Jimmy Fallon grinned.

Steve had managed to avoid interviews since coming out, but they were ultimately inevitable. At least Jimmy was kind. He never pushed for answers that Steve didn’t want to give.

“Yes, Jimmy, I recently announced that I am a homosexual.”

The crowd cheered, and Steve smiled shyly at them.

“Now I know you’re not a very public person when it comes to your personal life,” Jimmy began, shifting behind his desk. “But I think we’re all curious to know if Captain America has a boyfriend.”

Steve chuckled. “I _am_ seeing someone.” The crowd whispered to each other. “However, the relationship is still in its infancy, so I’d rather not speak too much on that.”

“Sure, man. Whatever you’re comfortable with,” Jimmy stuttered. “Congrats on that. That’s awesome.”

Steve nodded politely.

“OK,” Jimmy moved on. “So tell us about your opinions on Tony Stark’s recent appearance on SNL.”

 

~

 

“Are you sure I look alright?” Steve worried as he paced in Bucky’s bedroom.

“Relax,” Bucky groaned as he scrolled through Twitter. “My mom already thinks you’re ‘a sweet gentlemen,’ and my sister probably likes you more than I do.”

Steve chewed at his nails and sat next to Bucky on the bed. “You’re sure?”

“I’m sure.”

Steve smiled into the small kiss Bucky planted on his lips.

Steve went right back to gnawing on his thumb nail when the doorbell rang.

Bucky smirked at him as he jogged to his apartment door.

“Your hair is too long,” his mom said with heavily accented English as soon as he opened the door.

“Gee, thanks ma,” Bucky laughed as he pulled her into a hug.

“I told you he looked homeless, Mom.”

Bucky ruffled Becky’s hair as they hugged. She huffed in indignation.

“Good to see, Bucky.”

“You too, kid.”

“OK,” Galina said. “Where is this superboy?”

“He’s hiding in the bedroom,” Bucky chuckled. “Steve!”

At Bucky’s call, Steve emerged, smiling charmingly and reaching to shake Galina’s hand.

“It’s lovely to meet you, Mrs. Barnes.”

“Hello, Captain,” she said serenely. “Thank you for your service.”

Steve blushed. “You should be thanking your son, not me. I barely served.”

“Ah, but you fight the aliens, and that is also noble.”

“Steve,” Bucky interrupted before his mom started reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. “This is my baby sister, Becky.”

Steve grinned as he shook Becky’s hand. “I’ve heard so much about you. You are the spitting image of your beautiful mother.”

Becky turned beet red as she fish-mouthed at Steve.

“Rebekah?” Galina asked, thumping her on the back.

Becky coughed and smiled shyly at Steve. “My friends and I have watched the documentary about your life every year on my birthday since third grade.”

“The First Avenger?” Steve asked. Becky nodded. “Ugh. That movie is so outdated. And very inaccurate. Maybe I can tell you the real story some other day.”

Becky nodded again, fervently. Bucky grinned at them.

“Let’s eat then,” Steve exclaimed.

 

~

 

“So, Mrs. Barnes,” Steve said in between bites of lasagna. ‘You’re from Russia?”

Galina smiled. “Yes. I was born and raised in Moscow, but I moved to America when I met James and Rebekah’s father. I was 21, and he was a soldier. We got married the day we came here, and I’ve never looked back.”

“So your father was in the army, too?” Steve directed this question at Bucky, who nodded.

“Yup, army brat, through and through,” he responded.

“But we mostly lived in New York bases,” Bucky added. “That’s why Bucky’s got such an awful Brooklyn accent.”

Bucky slapped the back of her head. “Just wait, kid. Pretty soon you’ll be sportin’ one, too.”

“Yeah, right,” she snorted. “The worst I’ll get is a sexy southern twang.”

“You live down south?” Steve halted the train of conversation before they got (any more) violent.

“Yes,” Galina answered. “When my husband died, we moved to Florida. The beach is lovely.”

“It sure is,” Steve agreed, patting Galina’s hand. “My colleagues and I once spent some time in Tampa.”

“Oh, yes?” Galina prompted.

“Yes. There was a large radioactive whale in the water down there,” he explained. “Ate a couple dozen people. That was a tough one.”

The Barnes’ stared at him.

“I mean,” Steve stammered. “It was very rewarding to solve that case. Tampa is radioactive whale free now, I’m happy to say.”

Bucky chuckled awkwardly.

“So,” Becky said, breaking the tension. “I saw Mr. Stark’s episode of SNL. Does he really sleep in the nude?”

Bucky breathed a sigh of relief as his boyfriend and his sister launched into a discussion about Steve’s friends.

Galina grinned at him and winked, making an ‘OK’ sign with her fingers.

Bucky couldn’t wipe the dopey expression off of his face for the rest of the night.

 

~

 

Cancer: Today, a rumor will start about you. Don’t worry; it’s not as bad as it seems. (7-15-15)

 

Steve had thought he was old news to the paparazzi, but ever since the Supreme Court ruling, and his announcement about being in a relationship, it’s been as bad as ever.

“Cap! What do you have to say about the allegations that you solicited a male prostitute?”

“Steve! Do you prefer pitching or catching?”

“Rogers! Is it true that you are in a relationship with Clint Barton?”

It was infuriating, but he was glad to put up with the verbal abuse as long as Bucky didn’t have to.

But then one day, they woke up in Bucky’s bed, only to look out the window and see dozens of cameras trained on Bucky’s building.

“Jesus Christ,” Bucky breathed, pushing his hair out of his eyes.

They stepped away from the window and sat on the bed. Steve carded his fingers through Bucky’s hair as Bucky grabbed his laptop and opened up Google. He typed in “Captain America.”

“What the hell?” Bucky said.

The first article that popped up had been posted late the night before. At the top was a picture of a blurry, yet unmistakable, Steve Rogers, pressed against the apartment door while Bucky kissed him.

They quietly read the article.

 

**Captain Shares Steamy Smooth with Unnamed Hunk**

_Tonight, at 9 P.M., we received this picture of our favorite sexy soldier in an intense lip-lock with an unknown man._

_Steve Rogers (27) recently, in a press conference, told the world he was gay. If you didn’t already know this; where have you been?!_

_But that’s not all. A few weeks ago, Steve told Jimmy Fallon of the Tonight Show that he was seeing someone._

_So our only question is: Who is this long-haired man candy, Cap?_

 

Steve sighed and wrapped his arms around Bucky’s middle. “I’m so sorry, Buck.”

“No, it’s not your fault,” Bucky sounded a little dazed, but he settled into Steve’s arms.

“I’m not going to be able to charm my way out of this one.”

“I know.”

“I love you.”

Bucky’s heart skipped a beat as he turned to grin at Steve. “You’ve never said that before.”

Steve smiled back. “It’s true.”

“I love you back,” Bucky whispered. He leaned in and planted a chaste kiss on Steve’s mouth. “A ridiculous amount.”

Steve beamed. As he leaned in for another kiss, his phone started buzzing on the bedside table.

Bucky sighed. “Answer it.”

It was Coulson. “Come to my office right now.”

“I’m not exactly home.”

Coulson groaned. “Please don’t tell me that you’re at Bucky’s.”

Steve winced. “I’ve never been too good at lying, sir.”

Coulson feel silent.

“Sir?”

“Get your ass back here. Now.”

Phil hung up before Steve could respond.

“Let me guess. Coulson wants you back at the tower as soon as possible.”

“Bull’s eye.”

Bucky sighed and flopped back onto the bed, rubbing his eyes. “I need to update the website. And call my mom. And figure out which of my amazing neighbors took that photo.”

“Don’t worry about anything,” Steve said, pulling on his jeans. “Coulson is gonna fix everything.”

 

~

 

“I can’t fix this for you, Rogers.”

“What?!”

Coulson patted Steve’s shoulder consolingly. “We can’t very well sue every single website and newspaper that’s used that image. And this was bound to happen sooner or later. Let’s use this as an opportunity to get everything out in the open. I’ve scheduled you for an interview on Ellen. You’re going to tell the world about Bucky Barnes.”

“But-“

“No buts, Steve,” Coulson said, holding up a finger. “This was the best I could do for you. The interview is Friday, but you’re going to tape it tomorrow.”

Steve sighed in surrender.

 

~

 

“Please welcome…. Captain America, Steve Rogers!”

Steve smiled and waved as he walked over to Ellen DeGeneres and his chair.

They hugged, which was odd, since they had never met.

“Wow,” Ellen said once the crowd had quieted down. “You sure are a popular guy.”

He laughed good-naturedly. “I suppose so.”

“Now,” Ellen said, leaning forward. “I, for one, am incredibly proud of you for your decision to come out.” The crowd clapped. “I know how hard it was for me, but I can’t imagine the kind of pressure you must have felt."

Ellen paused, and Steve took his cue to speak. “Well, I’m not a very public person, you know; I like to have my secrets. But I felt it was important for me to be open about that.”

“Well, we sure are glad that you sis. It’s awesome to have someone as famous as you who’s open and unapologetic about his homosexuality.”

“I just hope that this doesn’t cause anyone to lose their respect for me,” he shrugged. “Just because I like men, doesn’t change how much I love my job and my country.”

The audience cheered as Ellen grinned at him.

“Speaking of men,” she began, mirth in her eyes. “A little birdy told me that you’ve found yourself a boyfriend.”

Steve flushed. “Yes I have. His name is Bucky. I’ve brought a photo.”

Sure enough, a photo of Steve and Bucky smiling at the camera, arms thrown around each other’s shoulders. Bucky’s hair was for once, tame, hanging around his face in waved. The picture was from Steve’s birthday, taken by Bruce.

“He’s a handsome guy, huh?” Ellen said. The crowd cheered in agreement, and Steve laughed, embarrassed.

“Yeah, he’s a pretty amazing fella.”

“So would I be correct to assume that this is you kissing Bucky?” Ellen asked teasingly as the blurry hallway picture floated up on the screen behind them.

“Yes ma’am,” Steve said, flushing at Ellen’s raised eyebrows. “One of his neighbors saw us in a passionate moment, and took it upon himself to snap a picture. I don’t know why; I’ve never done anything bad to him.”

Ellen laid her hand on top of Steve’s. “Sometimes they just want the attention.”

“I suppose so.”

“Now,” she grinned. “Is there any way you can talk your boy into coming on the show?”

Steve laughed. “I can ask, but don’t get your hoped up. He isn’t the talk show kinda guy.”

“We’d go easy on him,” Ellen said, winking at the audience.

“I certainly doubt that, Ms. DeGeneres.”

 

~

 

“This is so dumb,” Steve whispered to Bucky. “It’s not like we’ve never been.”

“Yeah,” Bucky whispered back, tugging on Steve’s hand. “But I last went in like 6th grade. And now I have a rested interest in the subject.”

Bucky had weird ideas of what was romantic. This week’s exciting, loving date was an outing to Steve’s museum.

Or the one about him, rather.

They went in with hats and glasses. Steve had an unlimited pass, and could have gotten them both in free, but Bucky insisted on them both buying tickets as part of their “cover.”

“So you were really that tiny?” Bucky mumbled to Steve as they strolled through the “Early Life” section of the museum.

“Absolutely,” Steve laughed. “Weighed about 100 pounds soaking wet. My mom used to joke about how people thought I was her grandson. I’m still not entirely used to being this size. Sometimes I wake up and forget about everything, and I hit my head on doorways and stuff.”

Bucky laughed and pulled Steve’s hat down over his eyes. “Tiny Steve sounds cute. He probably could’ve fit in my pocket.”

“Tiny Steve was also super sick, had asthma, and tried to pick fights with kids twice his size.” Steve chortled. “I think you wouldn’t have been too fond of me back then.”

“I’m always fond of you.”

Steve was leaning down to press a kiss to Bucky’s cheek when he felt a tug on his jeans. He turned around to see a little boy staring up at him with wide eyes.

“Hi there, buddy,” Steve said soothingly as he lowered himself onto his heels. “What’s up?”

“Can’t find Andrew,” the little boy mumbled, his eyes misty.

“Is Andrew your brother?” Bucky asked, following Steve’s lead and crouching down. The boy nodded. “Okay. We can help you look for him. What’s your name?”

“Aaron Lewis.”

“Well, alright, Aaron Lewis,” Steve grinned. “Let’s go.”

The three walked through the exhibits, stopping periodically to lift Aaron aboce their heads to scope out his brother.

They located him when they heard a voice call. “Aaron.”

“Andrew!” Aaron proclaimed excitedly. He ran off in the direction of the voice, and Bucky and Steve followed suit.

They were met with the sight of Aaron in the arms of a blond teenager, who looked as relieved as he did terrified.

“Jeez, Aaron. You can’t run away from me like that. Scared me to death,” the young man, presumably Andrew, breathed.

“It’s okay,” Aaron said. “Steve and Bucky helped me find you.”

“Steve and Bucky?” Andrew furrowed his brows at the two large men Aaron gestured to. Steve was sure they looked sketchy, what with their sunglasses indoors and shadowy apparel. “You can’t just talk to strangers, Aaron. It’s dangerous. We’ve talked about this.”

“But Steve isn’t a stranger,” Aaron insisted, much to Steve and Bucky’s confusion. “He’s Captain America.”

Steve choked on his spit.

“Aaron, don’t be silly,” Andrew warned, shrugging apologetically at the two men as if to say, ‘what can you do?’

“No, really,” Aaron said, running over and dragging Steve over to his frazzled brother. “He’s Steve Rogers. Look.”

Aaron pushed Steve up against a large portrait of Captain America. Bucky laughed from his spot by Andrew.

“See?” Aaron said emphatically. “He’s Captain America.”

His brother, still skeptical, turned to Bucky, who shrugged. “Kid’s got a good eye.”

Steve coughed.

Aaron beamed.

Andrew blinked. “Oh,” he said, breaking the stretch of silence. “Oh, wow. Oh my god. You are Captain America. At the Captain America museum. Holy shit. Sorry, Aaron. Um… wow. Thank you so much for helping my brother out. My mom would kill me if I came home without him. Wow. Captain America. I was you for Halloween three years in a row as a kid. Sorry. Sorry.”

“Its fine,” Steve smiled, reaching out to shake Andrew’s hand. “Your brother is very intuitive. Bucky and I were pretty sure out disguises were airtight.”

The kid laughed awkwardly, before grabbing Aaron’s hand. “Thank you again. So much. Have a good rest of your day, Mr. America. Er… Captain. Bye!” he squeaked as he pulled his brother away.

Bucky laced his fingers with Steve’s and squeezed. “Let’s go, yeah? I already have you; don’t need to read about you at a museum.”

Steve squeezed back and nodded, following Bucky out of the museum and into a cab, pulling off their disguises as soon as they started driving.

“I love you quite a bit,” Steve whispered as Bucky shook out his hat-hair.

Bucky’s eyes sparkled when he looked at Steve.

“Love you back, supernerd.”

 

~

 

**Superboy and the Invisible Man: Steve and Bucky Make a Rare Outing**

_Steve Rogers, better known by his alias, Captain America, turned heads tonight when he arrived at the Times’ 100 Most Influential People Award Ceremony with his elusive beau James “Bucky” Barnes. Rogers, who came out in May of last year as gay, doesn’t frequent social events such as this one, but came out tonight in support of his friend and colleague Natasha Romanov, who is being honored tonight for her debut book:_ How Do You Stay So Fit?: Why Feminism’s Work is Far From Done.

_“It was important for me to write (the book),” Romanov (Black Widow) said in our exclusive interview. “When I first started writing it, I was just sick and tired of being treated like I was less valuable to the team because I am a woman. Now don’t twist this into me saying that my colleagues are sexist, because they are not. They have never treated me differently or without respect. But the press is another story. They have continuously judged and ridiculed me for my clothing and my personal choices; neither of which are their business. I am exhausted and angry that instead of asking me about my work, people choose to ask me about things as inappropriate as my breast size or public hair. If this is the kind of thing they ask trained martial artists and women who could kick their ass; I’m scared of what they might ask other women who are not so intimidating.”_

_[To see a recording of our full interview with Ms. Romanov, Click Here.]_

_Barnes, who runs a well-renound horoscope website, was virtually silent the whole evening, except to interact with the afore mentioned Romanov._

_Rogers, who was kind enough to stop and share a work with us, was practically more smile than face._

_“Hey guys!” he exclaimed with great pep. “How are you guys? I’m great! Yeah! Bucky’s awesome. He hates things like this, poor thing. (He) only agreed to come if I got him ice cream afterword. That boy can pack away more candy than anyone else I know. I love him anyway though. God knows why.”_

_With that, Rogers waved and walked over to an incredibly uncomfortable looking Barnes._

_But when he waved, we spotted some silver on his left hand._

_Could it be wedding bells for our fav superhunk and his star-seeing boyfriend?_

_We’ll have to wait and see._

_Regarless, Cap and Bucky are out favorite super-couple. Tell us yours in the comments below!_

_~_

Cancer: Today you are taking a big step in one of your relationships, but it’s a good thing in the long-run.

P.S. Don’t forget the rings, Steve. I’m not joking.  I’ll leave you at the altar.

P.P.S. I’m joking

 

 

Kind of.


End file.
